Notice Letters: UK Resignation Letter Template and 7 Samples

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A UK resignation letter template needs five lines: the date, that you are resigning, your job title and employer, your notice period, and the last working day that follows from it. The constraint is your contract: it sets the notice, and gov.uk states the legal floor as "You must give at least a week's notice if you've been in your job for more than a month." Acas publishes a free template, and ours follows the same order. Below are a fill in the blanks template and six complete notice letters, checked in October 2026. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

You have rewritten the first line four times. It says "Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation" every time, because that is the line. The rest is dates.

Resignation letter template UK: fill in the blanks

Copy this, replace every bracket, and delete the optional lines you do not need. It fits on half a page.

Complete Template: UK resignation letter, fill in the brackets example, 109 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Template: UK resignation letter, fill in the brackets (109 words)

[Date]

Dear [manager's name],

Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from the position of [job title] at [employer name].

My notice period is [one week / one month / X weeks], so I believe my last working day will be [day and date]. Please let me know if that date is incorrect.

[Optional] I have [number] days of accrued holiday outstanding. Please let me know whether you would like me to take them or be paid for them.

Before I leave I will [two or three handover tasks].

Thank you for [one specific thing].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name] [Job title]

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Formal resignation letter, one month's notice

The standard version. Acas adds one line worth keeping in every letter: "Please let me know if that is incorrect." It puts the date check on your employer.

Complete Formal resignation letter, one month's notice example, 138 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Formal resignation letter, one month's notice (138 words)

14 September 2026

Dear Priya,

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from the position of Assistant Store Manager at Harlow Road Convenience Ltd.

My contract requires one month's notice, so I believe my last working day will be Monday 14 October 2026. Please let me know if that date is incorrect.

I will have four days of accrued holiday outstanding. I would prefer to take two in the final week and be paid for the rest, but I am happy to follow your preference.

Before I leave I will write a handover note covering the ordering schedule, the two supplier accounts in my name and the till reconciliation, and I will train Daniel on the Monday delivery.

Thank you for the last three years.

Yours sincerely,

Marta Kowalska Assistant Store Manager 07700 900 142

The email version

Most resignations go by email, which is fine unless your contract requires paper. Gov.uk warns: "You may be in breach of your contract if you do not give enough notice, or give notice verbally when it should be given in writing." Check the clause, paste the letter in full, and copy HR.

Complete Resignation email, standard notice, sent to manager and HR example, 117 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Resignation email, standard notice, sent to manager and HR (117 words)

Subject: Resignation, Marta Kowalska, Assistant Store Manager

Dear Priya,

I am writing to give notice of my resignation from the position of Assistant Store Manager at Harlow Road Convenience Ltd, with effect from today.

My notice period is one month, which makes my last working day Monday 14 October 2026. Please confirm that date and let me know what you would like included in the handover.

I have four days of accrued holiday outstanding and will follow your preference on taking or being paid for them.

I have copied HR so the leaving date is recorded correctly, and I will send my handover note by the end of next week.

Thank you,

Marta Kowalska 07700 900 142

One week's notice during probation

Most probation clauses set a shorter notice period, often a week. If the contract is silent, the statutory minimum applies once you have been employed for more than a month. Keep it short: there is less to hand over and nothing to explain.

Complete Resignation letter during probation, one week's notice example, 91 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Resignation letter during probation, one week's notice (91 words)

14 September 2026

Dear Mr Achebe,

I am writing to resign from my position as Warehouse Operative at Kesgrave Logistics Ltd.

I am in my probationary period, which sets a notice period of one week, so my last working day will be Monday 21 September 2026.

I will finish the current pick cycle and leave my scanner, locker key and hi-vis with the shift supervisor on my final shift.

Thank you for the training I have had over the last six weeks.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Whelan Warehouse Operative 07700 900 118

Asking to leave before the notice period ends

You cannot shorten your own notice by writing an earlier date. You can ask, and your employer can agree. Gov.uk is clear that a payment instead of working notice applies only "if it's in your contract or you agree to it", and leaving early needs agreement the same way. Ask, give a reason, and offer something in return.

Complete Resignation letter requesting a shorter notice period example, 142 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Resignation letter requesting a shorter notice period (142 words)

14 September 2026

Dear Ms Fenwick,

Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from the position of Payroll Administrator at Brindley Care Services Ltd.

My contract requires two months' notice, which would make my last working day Friday 13 November 2026. I would like to ask whether you would agree to release me on Friday 16 October instead, as my new employer needs me to start on the following Monday.

If that is possible, I will complete the October payroll run and the pension upload before I go, and write the process notes for both. I am happy to be available by phone for the November run at no cost.

If not, I will of course work the full two months and there is no need to reply on that point.

Yours sincerely,

Aisha Rahman Payroll Administrator 07700 900 173

Resignation letter for personal reasons

You do not have to explain personal reasons. One neutral line is enough, and it keeps the letter out of any argument.

Complete Resignation letter for personal reasons, two weeks' notice example, 92 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Resignation letter for personal reasons, two weeks' notice (92 words)

12 October 2026

Dear Ms Clarke,

Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from the position of Receptionist at Fairfield Veterinary Practice.

I am leaving for personal reasons. My contract requires two weeks' notice, so I believe my last working day will be Monday 26 October 2026. Please let me know if that date is incorrect.

Before I leave I will update the appointment notes for the regular clients and show Sophie how we handle the out of hours calls.

Thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,

Hannah Doyle Receptionist

The thank you version, after long service

After years rather than months, the letter can carry a paragraph of thanks without becoming a speech. Keep the facts in the first two paragraphs so HR can process it, and put the warmth at the end. Our thank you letter page covers the separate note to colleagues.

Complete Resignation letter with thanks, nine years' service, three months' notice example, 154 words, laid out as it would sit in the application form

Resignation letter with thanks, nine years' service, three months' notice (154 words)

14 September 2026

Dear Geoff,

After nine years I am writing to give formal notice of my resignation from the position of Senior Technician at Lowmoor Engineering Ltd.

My notice period is three months, so my last working day will be Friday 12 December 2026. I would like to use twelve of my outstanding holiday days during that period and be paid for any that remain, subject to your agreement.

I will hand over the calibration schedule, the two apprentices' training records and the service contracts for the Bridgeport and Colchester machines, starting next week rather than in a rush at the end.

I am leaving for a role closer to home, not for anything that happened here. I learned most of what I know on your shop floor, and the apprenticeship you set up in 2019 is why two of my colleagues are qualified.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Osei 07700 900 156

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The rules behind the letter

RuleWhat it saysSource
Statutory minimum you must give"not less than one week" once continuously employed for one month or moreEmployment Rights Act 1996, s.86(2)
Contractual noticeCan require more than a week, and normally does. Check it before writing the dategov.uk, your employment contract
Written or verbal"Your contract will tell you whether you need to give notice in writing"gov.uk, giving notice
When notice starts"Your notice period usually runs from the start of the day after you handed your notice in"gov.uk, giving notice
Pay during notice"You'll usually get your normal pay rate", and bonuses and commission are due "unless your contract states otherwise"gov.uk, payment during notice
Payment in lieuOnly "if it's in your contract or you agree to it"gov.uk, payment during notice
Garden leaveYour employer can ask you to stay away, and "You'll get the same pay and contractual benefits"gov.uk, garden leave

Acas publishes a free resignation notice letter template with one warning worth repeating: do not use a standard template "if you believe you have no choice but to resign", because your legal position changes. Ring the Acas helpline first. Our notice period UK page has the full notice ladder.

What not to write

For the US convention, see our two weeks notice page and the US resignation letter examples. To resign by email instead, use the resignation email examples.

Frequently asked questions

When should you hand in a resignation letter?

Hand it in once you have a signed offer and have checked your notice period, ideally at the start of a working week. Your notice normally starts the day after you hand it in, so the day you deliver it sets your leaving date.

Should you give a reason for leaving in a resignation letter?

No. There is no requirement to give a reason, and a short neutral letter is standard. If you want to say something, one line such as moving closer to home is enough. Save any detail for the exit conversation.

What should you include in a resignation letter?

That you are resigning, your job title and employer, your notice period, the last working day that follows from it, and a request to confirm the date. Outstanding holiday and a short handover offer are useful additions.

Can you take holiday during your notice period?

Usually yes, with your employer's agreement, and many prefer it to paying accrued leave. Ask in the letter rather than booking it. If leave is refused, untaken statutory holiday accrued to your leaving date must be paid instead.

What is a P45 and why is it important?

A P45 records your pay and tax to your leaving date and is issued when you leave. Your new employer uses it to apply the right tax code, so without it you may be taxed on an emergency code. Ask when it will be issued.

More in this series: Resignation, notice and reference letters

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